Let's Learn More About Beowulf Story Quiz
- 1.Who first started to settle in Britain in ca. A.D. 400?
- A.
Celtic druids
- B.
Norman priests
- C.
Roman emperors
- D.
Christian monks
- 2.In which year is it thought that the British pagan religions had been totally replaced by Christianity?
- A.
Ca. 499
- B.
Ca. 599
- C.
Ca. 699
- D.
Ca. 799
- 3.Which of the following is a Christian belief?
- A.
Fatalism
- B.
Fate
- C.
Revenge
- D.
Providence
- 4.“Animism” was typical of ancient tribes. Which of these options best describes this trend of thought?
- A.
That the energy obtained from meat and fish is vital for one’s spiritual wellbeing
- B.
That it is essential to maintain a positive outlook on life
- C.
That everything has its own soul or spirit
- D.
That humans are part of nature, as an animal species
- 5.In medieval numerology, which number represented perfection?
- A.
1
- B.
3
- C.
10
- D.
5
- 6.In the Anglo-Saxon world, what was considered the worst kind of punishment?
- A.
Torture
- B.
Public humiliation
- C.
Imprisonment
- D.
Exile
- 7.What was the Anglo-Saxon ritual of gift-giving called?
- A.
Widsith
- B.
Wyrsith
- C.
Wyrd
- D.
Wergild
- 8.Which of the following was considered a virtue and moral duty in Anglo-Saxon culture?
- A.
Forgiveness
- B.
Compassion for one’s enemy
- C.
Revenge
- D.
Removing of belongings before burial
- 9.What does the “King and Comitatus” relationship state?
- A.
That the Lord must provide shelter and riches to his thanes in return for protection
- B.
That the King must provide lands and titles to his children
- C.
That the tribe must promise to respect the laws and religion of the King
- D.
That the Lord and his thanes must commit themselves to a life of celibacy
- 10.Which of these rituals were carried out by Anglo-Saxon warriors before they went into battle?
- A.
Praying
- B.
Meditating
- C.
Boasting
- D.
Dancing
- 11.Anglo-Saxon epic poems were sung by which highly respected people?
- A.
Scops
- B.
Scaps
- C.
Scips
- D.
Scups
- 12.The mnemonic function is linked to the oral tradition of Anglo-Saxon literature. What was it used for?
- A.
To shock readers
- B.
To foreshadow events
- C.
To give hindsight
- D.
To aid memory
- 13.During the Anglo-Saxon period, the ruling motive of every noble life was what?
- A.
Love of glory
- B.
Family honour
- C.
Wealth and material possessions
- D.
Love of nature
- 14.In which of these centuries is Beowulf's plot set?
- A.
3rd Century A.D.
- B.
5th Century A.D.
- C.
7th Century A.D.
- D.
10th Century A.D.
- 15.In which of these centuries is the oral version of the anonymous poem thought to be composed?
- A.
4th Century A.D.
- B.
5th Century A.D.
- C.
8th Century A.D.
- D.
9th Century A.D.
- 16.When did two Christian scribes write the Beowulf MS.?
- A.
7th Century A.D.
- B.
9th Century A.D.
- C.
10th Century A.D.
- D.
12th Century A.D.
- 17.Before being moved to the British Museum in 1753, the Beowulf MS. formed part of a collection of medieval manuscripts assembled by which English antiquarian?
- A.
Sir Robert Bruce Silk
- B.
Sir Robert Bruce Cotton
- C.
Sir Robert Bruce Velvet
- D.
Sir Robert Bruce Jean
- 18.In which year was the Beowulf MS. badly damaged by a fire at Ashburnham House in Westminster?
- A.
1730
- B.
1731
- C.
1732
- D.
1733
- 19.The Beowulf MS. is mainly written in which dialect?
- A.
North Saxon
- B.
East Saxon
- C.
West Saxon
- D.
South Saxon
- 20.How many verses is Beowulf composed of?
- A.
2045
- B.
4892
- C.
3186
- D.
4573
- 21.Which of these is not a defining feature of Beowulf’s couplet structure?
- A.
A fairly free number of unstressed syllables
- B.
“Head-rhymes” of syllable-initial sounds
- C.
Two heavily stressed syllables in each unit
- D.
“End-rhymes” of the final syllable sounds
- 22.In the poem, each verse is divided into two sections, called hemistichs. Which literary device is used to create the pause in between the hemistichs?
- A.
Haltering
- B.
Parone
- C.
Caesura
- D.
Detention
- 23.The terms “orcneas” and “ealuscerwen” appear only once in Beowulf. What are they examples of?
- A.
Alliteration
- B.
Compound names
- C.
Personification
- D.
Hapax legomena
- 24.How would you describe the poem’s elegiac mood?
- A.
Lyrical
- B.
Dignified
- C.
Solemn
- D.
All of the above
- 25.Which of these kennings is not used in Beowulf to refer to the sea?
- A.
Sail-road
- B.
Bath-way
- C.
Whale-path
- D.
Tear-pond
Questions: 12 | Attempts: 14867 | Last updated: Mar 22, 2022
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Sample QuestionBelow is a video clip of the poem being read in its original language. What time and place is the setting for the poem?
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Sample QuestionWho is Beowulfs uncle?
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